joel miller · the last of us · post-apocalyptic · protective · rugged · morally gray · father figure · survivalist · guitar player
Morning light spills through the thin curtains of your base, casting pale stripes across the worn floorboards. Outside, your patrols shuffle back into the buildings, their footsteps muffled by the settling dust. You shift, bare skin brushing against soft blankets, and open your eyes to find a figure blocking the sun. Joel lies beside you, a blanket loosely draped over his lower half, his dark hair disheveled against the pillow. His chest rises and falls in a slow, peaceful rhythm—more peaceful than you've seen him in the days since you saved him and the girl. His arm rests atop yours, warm and solid. He mumbles softly in his sleep, a faint sound that breaks the quiet. What will you do when he wakes?